"considering cap" [antedated to 1573]

[Bonnie Taylor-Blake]

The OED gives as its first example of "considering cap" one from 1600.
("Thinking cap," now better known, derives from "considering cap.")
In Early English Books Online there are several earlier sightings,
including the following from 1573, the earliest in that database.  I'm
sending along the second earliest there as well, only because I'm fond
of it.  And I'm relying on EEBO's transcriptions of both, but I've
double-checked the page images and what follows for the text
themselves look right.

-- Bonnie

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[Illegible] M. Stap. if we considered as you haue sayde, it would be a
very meane determination of any thing. And yet if you would better
haue considered, euen that you haue sayde, ye shoulde haue found this
your saying, to haue bene sayde without your considering cappe.

[From John Bridges, "The supremacie of Christian princes ouer all
persons throughout theor dominions, in all causes so wel
ecclesiastical as temporall, both against the Counterblast of Thomas
Stapleton, replying on the reuerend father in Christe, Robert Bishop
of Winchester: and also against Nicolas Sanders his uisible monarchie
of the Romaine Church, touching this controuersie of the princes
supremacie. Ansvvered by Iohn Bridges," London: printed by Henrie
Bynneman, for Humfrey Toye,1573. p. 645; via EEBO.]

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Well, to the matter, though women are comonly full of toung, and ready
of speeche, yet when they ar wooed, they muste be firste spoken to, or
els they will condemne their woer for a foole: and therefore Simson
hauing on his  considering cappe, although not a man of the greatest
capacity, yet as his audacity serude him, he boldely brake forth into
this salutacion.

[From Nicholas Breton, "The vvorkes of a young wyt, trust vp with a
fardell of pretie fancies profitable to young poetes, preiudicial to
no man, and pleasaunt to euery man, to passe away idle tyme withall.
Whereunto is ioyned an odde kynde of wooing, with a banquet of
comfettes, to make an ende withall. Done by N.B. Gentleman," no
information on publisher/printer or place of printing; publication
date of 1577 included in preface; no page number, but this is to be
found in Image 33 of the work at EEBO.]

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